Tam was seen as a cultural icon to Chinese communities around the world (including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and, later Mainland China). He had a string of hits in a career spanning 30 years. He was well respected for his singing skills, his positive outlooks, and his insistence on correct pronunciations.

Born in Baise, Guangxi, China, with family roots in Guiping, Guangxi. He moved to Guangzhou (Canton) in 1947 at the age of 2. He later emigrated to Hong Kong in 1962 at the age of 17.[2] After forming a short-lived band known as Roman and the Four Steps,[3] he became a contract singer under studios term at TVB. He briefly switched to Asia Television in the early 1990s.